


Before Evermore

by LadyJWolf



Series: Evermore [2]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Alcohol, Developing Relationship, F/M, I really don't know how to tag, Slight Cannon divergence, Swearing, chems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 14:06:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15172331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyJWolf/pseuds/LadyJWolf
Summary: Marowski didn't take kindly to Nora and Hancock knocking over his chem lab. Attempting to exact revenge he causes more problems than anticipated.





	Before Evermore

**Author's Note:**

> So, when I was writing Evermore I told myself that I wasn't going to write too much of their main-quest era story, other than the fun bits that were in there. Then, as I was minding my own business, this just popped into my head demanding to be written! So here it is.

"You know Marowski's stirring up a whole heap of trouble on account of you hitting his chem lab, right?" Ren asked as she finished up her report for the evening.

Hancock shrugged dismissing her concerns, "Yeah sure, but Marowski ain't got the stones to come after me. It's all just showboating for his goons."

He watched his second roll her eyes, "If you say so, boss." Then, she handed him a stack of papers, "Here's the numbers you wanted."

Riffling through them he asked, "Our guy in Diamond City pick up any business yet?"

He'd had the idea to send one of theirs over to fill the chem void before anyone else could. It was ingenious, the folks in Diamond City simply hadn't figured that out yet.

"Those snobs are still in shock Lattimer is dead, they don't even know it means the supply's gone dry. Give him a bit more time- they'll come around."

They talked shop for a while more before he waved her off. Work was done, it was time to play. Looking around he sighed, _Damn, I forgot Nora went off to go visit Daisy today._ Ever since that night back in Sanctuary things had been heating up between them. When she'd kissed him after the chem lab heist, he had to restrain himself from throwing her across one of the tables right then and there. Maybe if they'd been more, familiar, but not as the opening act. He'd hoped this little pit stop at home would give them the opportunity see things through.

Earlier when she'd told him she was heading out, he'd assumed she'd be back by now, but those two gals could go on forever reminiscing about the old days. Shaking his head, he opened some Mentats instead and waited.

                                                                                                                  ***

Nora was sitting on the counter of Daisy's Discounts filling her friend in on new developments, "More chems than I've ever seen, it was glorious! But the hazmat suit, that was the big find. We were both so excited, and I didn't even think about it, just kissed him. That was pretty damn glorious too."

Daisy chuckled, "I'm only surprised it took that long. Man stabs a fool for me, and I'd be doing a lot more than kissing him."

"He didn't do that for me. Fin threatened his position, that's why he got knifed," at Daisy's unamused look she relented, "Fine, it was a devilishly charming gesture and throwing myself at him over a dead body would have been-"

"Right up his alley."

Choking on laughter she threw back, "Well, I didn't know that then, now did I? Besides, I'm not going to be just another mooney-eyed sap trailing after the apocalypse Lothario," shaking her head she added, "No thanks."

"Oh dearie," Daisy grinned, "sounds like you're falling hard. My advice, jump all over that man next chance you get."

Nora's mouth formed an oval staring at her friend, "You're a dirty old woman, you know that? I love you."

They continued to banter over the next several hours, causing her to lose track of time until well after the sun went down. When she looked outside the shop and saw the lack of light, she launched herself off the counter and said her goodbyes. _I planned on getting back hours ago, damn. Hope he doesn't think I'm avoiding him._

As she approached the corner, however, two men in suits blocked her way, but they weren't Neighborhood Watch. "C'mon doll, Marowski wants a word." Before she could blink, they each grabbed her by an arm and started marching her down the alley.

                                                                                                       ***

"John, you're going to want to get over to the Rexford, now," Ren was pestering him again.

"I told you he's just blowing smoke-"

She interrupted, "Bald Tom just saw two of Marowski's guys grab your little pawn outside Daisy's. So no, not smoke."

He was on his feet in a flash, _motherfucker,_ grabbing his shotgun from where it leaned against the wall. Flying down the spiral staircase, he heard Ren behind him. As they stormed through the lobby of the hotel Hutchin's made a feeble attempt to stop him. It didn't even warrant a reply. Nearing the office in back, he could hear that oaf making threats.

"You've got a week to come up with two thousand caps. After that, no more Mr. Nice Guy."

Hancock walked in and leaned against the doorframe, "You might wanna reconsider that offer, Marowski."

All heads in the room spun his way. Marowski looked up from behind his desk, his red pock-marked face going slightly pale. "Hancock, what the hell are you doing here? This's got nothin' to do with you."

"Oh no?" He pushed himself away from the door and sauntered further into the room, "You're shaking down my friend here for what - the chem lab job, right? That was my hit, pal. Sunshine here was just along for the ride."

Nora squinted at him angrily, and for a moment he thought she was going to blow the whole thing. Then understanding washed over her face, and she hunched down in her chair, playing the meek little vault dweller, "That's right, I didn't even know it was a - a hit."

Marowski pounded a fist on his desk; this was obviously not going how he'd planned. "I got no beef with you, Hancock. We didn't come after you. But I gotta make an example outta someone!" He held up a finger and spun it around in the air, "You got so many skirts and suits coming through your door, why do you even care about this one, huh?"

That statement made his blood boil on so many levels that for a moment he considered simply putting a hole in the pompous ass and being done with this. It would kick off a war between his guys and Marowski's though, and he couldn't have that. Instead, he gritted his teeth and growled, "First things first, bodies that come through my door, for any reason, aren't pawns to get to me, Marowski. Matter of fact," he put a hand on the back of Nora's chair, "this gal, in particular, is off limits. You remember what happened to the last guy who tried this extortion crap on her?" Then he stalked up to the clod's desk splayed his hands on top of it, "More importantly, however, I don't let other people take the rap for my jobs. You want to settle this; you deal with me."

He watched the man fume for a minute. No doubt Marowski was having the same mental debate he was just having. Wondering if his guys could take the Triggermen should he put some lead into their boss. With Ren looming in the doorway, Hancock was betting on his rival coming to the same conclusion he had, that it wasn't worth it. Watching the other man's eyes finally fall he gloated, "Yeah, I didn't think so." He turned around and grabbed Nora's hand, Ren falling into step with them as they made their way out.

Before they'd crossed the lobby, he heard Marowski shout, "I don't wanna see either of your faces near the Rexford again, you hear me?"

                                                                                                       ***

It was stupid. She knew it shouldn't bother her, but she couldn't help it. _I knew what I was getting into, I've got no claim over him._ Even so, she could tell the annoyance would be dripping from her every word. So when he asked her if she was alright once they'd gotten outside, she fell back on sarcasm. Batting her eyes, and putting both hands under her chin, "Well, gee, Mister Mayor, sir, I'm ever so glad you came and rescued me from those monstrous fellows!"

Both he and Fahrenheit practically doubled over in amusement. Despite that being her goal, her irritation only grew. It felt like they were laughing at her rather than with the jest she'd made. She spat out, "That was the play you were making in there right? Helpless damsel?" Squinting her eyes and pointing, she did her best to make her voice as gruff as Hancock's, "'This is my town, and she's off limits Marowski!' It was a bit over the top."

For a split second, she saw his hurt expression before he masked it behind a cocky smile. During that second she regretted lashing out at him, even under cover of levity. That was when she realized- _this is vexing me because it's starting to feel real_. When they were exchanging flirtatious banter or necking in the chem lab, it wasn't serious. It was something to keep them distracted from all the shit going on in their worlds. That she could handle. Feeling her heart leap into her throat when that dunce in the hotel implied she was expendable, that was too much investment in someone who could, in fact, replace her in a day.

A hand fell on her shoulder, and she saw Fahrenheit wiping tears from her eyes, "Sorry but, she's got you down John! C'mon girl, I'm going to buy you some drinks."

She allowed herself to be steered over to The Rail by the taller woman because at that moment she had to get away from Hancock.

                                                                                                      ***

Something had gone terribly awry tonight, and he had a damn good idea what the catalyst had been. Fuckin' Marowski's comment had incensed him, sure back in his younger days that was exactly how he'd operated. Ever since that radiation chem, however, he hadn't exactly needed to worry about kicking folks outta his bed. More often than not they snuck off in the night once they'd gotten whatever favor they required of him. He'd told himself, at first, that it saved him the aggravation of having to send 'em off anymore. As the years wore on though, it had started to sting his pride a bit. Not that he'd ever let on, public perception worked to his favor here, until now. Until Nora. He found himself, inexplicably, wanting her to think more highly of him. Why the hell should that matter when he'd never given a damn what folks thought of him before?

Possibly, because running with her these past several months he'd gotten a distinctly different impression off her than anyone else he'd paired up with. Watching how she cared after everybody, even to her own detriment sometimes, it was impressive as hell. They'd have made a lot faster headway finding leads to her kid if she'd stop helping every wastelander with a sob story that passed her way.

He'd been surprised she'd even taken him up on the offer to travel together in the first place; most folks wouldn't bother with a ghoul. She seemed to gravitate to 'em. Made sense when he thought about it, they reminded her of where she came from. He'd seen her disappointment when she found out that despite his appearance, he wasn't pre-war. Even so, she agreed to their partnership with not a second of hesitation.

 _Of course she did, she wanted something,_ the bitter voice in his head told him. But if all she needed was an additional gun to watch her back, she coulda stuck with MacCready. He'd watched the merc help her clear out his warehouses after Wright had stormed off in a snit. _Little Miss Reporter doesn't want her hands so dirty that she can't clean 'em once she gets the scoop. Typical._ Mac, though, he was a good kid. They'd shared drinks on more than a few occasions, and he had to admit the guy could out shoot him any day. His style was more suited to Nora's sneaky sniper routine too. He could just picture them, all cozied up together in some perch, looking out their scopes. Now, why was he imagining Mac's face on a target all of a sudden?

 _No,_ he shook his head, _you're getting too stuck on this woman and it ain't gonna do you any good_. He reminded himself to treat her like any other smoothskin, enjoy the trip until it ends.

  
                                                                                                       ***

Nora almost laughed as Fahrenheit commandeered the VIP room from MacCready, only after promising to comp him the night's rent. Then the muscular woman brought them both drinks. "I saw your face back there, don't let Marowski get under your skin." Ignoring her shocked look, Fahrenheit continued, "You haven't been around long enough to know the score around here, so I wanted to set you straight. That asshole in the hotel doesn't have enough manpower to overthrow John, and he knows it. So every now and then he tries to pull this crap, more so now because you two impulsive idiots riled him up," she sighed, "he's trying to cause in-fighting in our ranks to make us easier targets. Be smarter than him is all I'm trying to tell you."

Everything she'd said made perfect sense. Nora thought about it all for a moment as she finished her drink. When she thanked the other women, Fahrenheit snorted, "Don't thank me, it's not you I'm trying to look out for. I don't need the headache of dealing with John's mopey ass when another body walks out on him right now. It's enough on my plate putting that overinflated innkeep back in his place, again, thanks to you two."

Hearing that, it was like several missing pieces of a puzzle snapped together inside her brain. _Oh, I feel like a damn fool, but how could I have known?_   She stood up and thanked the bodyguard again before heading to the State House.

At the top of the staircase, she saw him before he saw her. He was sitting on that red couch, elbows on his knees, with his head in his hands, looking so lonely that it made her heart pang out of guilt. With Fahrenheit's words echoing in her head, she crept over to the door and softly said, "Hey." When he looked up the surprised smile was quickly replaced with that damn cocky one. Now she knew, part of it at least, was his armor. "I shouldn't have let that maroon-faced moron get to me. It was, actually, rather dashing - you bursting in there and defending my honor and whatnot."

"He riled us both up, Sunshine, it's what he does."

Chuckling under her breath, she asked, "You're never going to let me live down that tantrum after the Power Armor debacle, are you?"

"Nope," he grinned. "You're going to be my little ray of Sunshine until the day you decide you're sick of me and go sailing out that gate with MacCready." He sighed, "Two beautiful snipers off into the sunset."

There was so much there that she wanted to address, but she didn't know how. The first being that he actually thought she'd want to be with Mac. Daisy had told her that she'd been trying to get the merc to notice her for years now. The poor guy was so hung up on his dead wife that she didn't think he could even see anyone else. _We all grieve in our own ways_ ; she'd tried to console her friend.

Deciding to take a page out of Hancock's own book, she went with levity. She walked over until she was standing next to him, looking down at his upturned face, "So, you think I'm beautiful then?"

He barked a laugh at her unexpected response and pulled her down into his lap, "Yes, I happen to find you surpassingly beautiful."

"Do you want to know a secret?" When he nodded, she leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I think you're beautiful too."


End file.
